Thanks to Mickey n hetal , friday night we decided we would have a trip to Amritsar...
so "OPERANDI" was fixed ....to visit GOLDEN TEMPLE, JALIANWALAN BAGH AND WAGAH BORDER.....
A very rough sketch was made....thnx to other travel blogs......so here follows how our "one day" trip turned out to be :
DAY : 18th Nov,2006
2200 hrs
Scheduled departure of our bus to Amritsar from Red fort ,Delhi by RD YADAV &SONS bus (Fare Rs 450 but return we bargained for Rs 400 each with same transport operator)
2400 hrs
Actual departure from Delhi city
DAY : 19th Nov,2006
0715 hrs
Arrival at Amritsar, location near "Hide park post office"
0745 hrs
Tea at a road side CHAI shop
0800 hrs
Took at "single" rickshaw to Hari mandir/Golden temple
for three of us...charge Rs 20 /-
0815hrs
Arrived at the main entrance of Golden Temple
Bought a scarf each to cover our heads beforing entering temple...
p.s : Scarfs are avalaible for free of cost beforing entering the main temple complex.
0830 hrs
Allotment of the "Dharmashala" at "Sri Arjan dev niwas"
and we were alloted a common hall at "Mata Ganga niwas"
0930 hrs
Freshened up, and after a scuffle between "sri arjan dev niwas" and " mata ganga niwas" ,got a locker at later for Rs 20/- per day of size 3x3 sq.feet...quite enough for lugguage for a family..
dumped our bags n shoes in locker...
P.S : Lockers are available at the same alloted "dharmsala"
1000 hrs
Left for the Temple ..entrance via LEFT GATE ....same side where were were put up and Taxis for WAGAH BORDER are available
1015 hrs
Met some old SARDARJI ...who was more than willing to explain the details bout the temple complex ,then took some offering as “parsaad” and donated 10 bucks each for the same.
10.45 hrs
Completed the darshan. An intruding and moving experriece indeed especially after watching people coming out of te temple with almost a tear and profound gratitude in each and every ones face.
1115 hrs
After usual shutterbug session and a brief visit to AKAL TAKT,which is located right inside the temple complex and at the entrance Gate of the temple.
p.s : NO PHOTOGRAPHY BEYOND THIS FINAL GATE INTO THE TEMPLE.
1150 hrs
Back to our dharmashala
1200 hrs
And when the psychotic british general ordered to fire, the place which was a major catalyst in making India independent again ,JALIANWALAN BAGH ,bout 100 metres from the TEMPLE COMPLEX.
1245 hrs
The much awaited “LANGER” time.
P..S : DON’T WASTE THE FOOD AND LANGER IS SERVED 24HRS A DAY
1315 -1400 hrs
Rest time at Dharmasala’s hall room(on the carperted floor)
1400 hrs
Handed over out locker and took a taxi for WAGAH BORDER CEREMONY ( Rs 350/- for a separate taxi i.e Maruthi 800,even lesser fare in a shared one and bout Rs 15/- from the bus station in a state corporation bus)
Distance between Golden temple and Wagah border is bout 35 kms
1415 hrs
On the way to WAGAH BORDER,visited some hindu temple with a look-a-like features of Golden temple
1535 hrs
Reached the Wagah border ,but the gates to the border open at bout 4.30
p.s : Need to pay the taxi parking at the border separately and some amount of the fixed bargain to the driver before heading for ceremony, but not all drivers will ask for the same.
1645 hrs
Finally gates were open and a madness came upon the people to rush towards the border to occupy the best Seats in the gallery along the Indian side of the border
1700 hrs-1800 hrs
Ceremony with a bleak view for me n Mickey ,yet we were there to witness it more than anything else.
1820 hrs
“operandi” were completed the bus back to delhi was bout 2230 hrs so we headed back to Amritsar for our early DINNER n so time killing spree started.
1920 hrs
We paid our “balance” taxi fare and straight into the famous “KOMAL VILAS” (which is adjacent to Jalianwalan Bagh, yes the same one..near temple)
2000 hrs
After some “dosa” time at Komal vilas ,we hit the roads for some shopping (we bought “nothing”)
2200 hrs
We reached Amritsar railway station from where our bus would take our tired bodies back to Delhi
2315 HRS
Left Amritsar
DAY: 20th Nov
0520 hrs
Early morning Chill of Delhi Welcomed us back ,took an auto rickshaw back to our places
